This weekend, I had my overnight retreat that I needed to go on in order to make my confirmation later this year. I didn't mind going, but the only catch was you couldn't bring your phone. And, as is the same with all teenagers, I couldn't imagine being without my phone for over 24 hours. So, of course I brought it, but it was shut off and in the bottom of my bag. We put all our stuff up in our rooms right at the beginning of the retreat, when everyone started arriving. So, my plan of being able to take it out of my bag when I needed it ended up backfiring because I thought that I would constantly have my phone at least near me, but that didn't end up happening.
At first, I didn't think I was going to make it through the retreat without it. Honestly, I was fidgeting, and didn't know what to do with myself. I constantly kept thinking, I wish I could just check my phone to see the time. Even if it was to do something as simple as check the time, I wish I could just be able to pick up my phone. But I couldn't, atleast for the time being, because we didn't go back to our rooms for a while. So, as time went on, I still was just as anxious to go on it. I couldn't wait for when we went to bed so I could sneak my phone out and go on it, hoping I didn't get caught.
At around 10 o'clock (not to talk about religion too much because I know it is a very controversial topic for some), we went to confession. It was a long process because there were so many of us who had to do it, but it was the turning point in the retreat for me when I didn't feel like I needed my phone anymore. It really got me thinking, and afterwards, I had plenty of time to think until everyone else was done, so I did, and I kept thinking about all the things I could do without my phone, all the good I could do with my time, rather than just wasting hours on hours staring at a little screen scrolling through social media. After everyone was done, we went upstairs to go to bed.
Once we got upstairs, I didn't even remember I had my phone with me at all. I didn't turn it on or even touch it. I just wanted to actually, physically, be with the people I was with. So, for the rest of the night until I went to sleep, my phone didn't even cross my mind.
The hard thing for me was that other people were on their phones. They didn't even care that they could get caught and they didn't care that they were ruining the whole point of not going on your phone. And, if I had noticed earlier in the night, I probably would have gotten mine and went on it just like them, but since I had already gone through an entire day of eye-opening activities and experiences, I didn't even wish I was on my phone like they were.
The next day, we had over 12 hours of activities planned, from 7:15 AM wake-up to 7:30 PM pick-up. During those 12 hours, my phone didn't even cross my mind. I spent my time that day enjoying what we were doing and enjoying spending time with the people I was with. If you had told me the day before that I wouldn't want to go on my phone at the end of the retreat and I would survive without it for over 24 hours, I definitely, 100% wouldn't have believed you.
Once 7:30 came along, I had so much I wanted to tell my family about the retreat, I still, even though I was allowed to go on my phone, didn't even think about it. My phone sat powered-off in the bottom of my bag for 30 hours, and I was fine with it. The only reason I got it out of my bag at all when I got home was to plug it in and charge it, before which, I quickly skimmed all my social media networks I had missed out on for the last day. I only saw a little on each, but didn't even care about what I missed and went to sleep rather than staying on my phone. That is a big step for me, considering that I often times sit awake in my bed just doing different things on my phone, not even caring about the time.
Now, about 24 hours after I powered my phone back on, I still go on my phone and check social media and text my friends and things like that, but I do so with less of a desperation, less of a need to see what other people are saying on Twitter and to see what pictures people are posting on Instagram.
~Thank you guys for reading- I hope you found my experience of disconnecting as amazing as I did! ~
No comments:
Post a Comment